Ossic, the company developing the Ossic X over-ear headphones designed primarily for virtual reality headsets, has ceased production after failing to deliver pre-orders to crowdfunding backers and is shutting down “effective immediately.” While Ossic blames lack of demand for its niche product (in addition to…
Facebook is changing its tune when it comes to fees and fundraisers. The company announced in a blog post today that it will eliminate its “platform fees” for all personal fundraisers “in the coming weeks,” after charging users a 6.9 percent fee plus an additional $0.30 to run various types of personal crowdfunding…
A GoFundMe fundraiser for a German shepherd puppy’s emergency surgery reportedly received nearly 700 donations over 28 days, totaling $14,065. But police now say the dog’s owner intentionally caused the injuries and GoFundMe has promised to refund the donors. The 5-month-old dog, Atlas, died on February 3rd.
Over the past four years Patreon has grown to become the de facto funding model for independent creators online—a platform where supporters pledge small monthly recurring donations that better support an enduring career instead of the need Kickstarter or GoFundMe’s per-project setup fills. But an overhaul of its fee…
GoFundMe can be a dark place. Sometimes, it’s your pitiful friends asking you for money so that they can take a European vacation and finally tackle that “research project” they’ve been wanting to do. Other times, it’s truly tragic circumstances, like a stranger asking for help with medical bills. But today, dear…
When all digital spaces are controlled by liberal snowflakes, how’s a guy supposed to earn a living promoting hate online? Three new crowdfunding sites think they have the answer.
Having lots of choice when it comes to consoles and platforms is great for gamers, but having piles of proprietary controllers and accessories in your gaming room is not. The creators of the All Controller tried to fix that problem by designing a gamepad that works with everything from the PS4, to PCs, to iPhones so…
Was the Segway ahead of its time, or just an overhyped product that could have never lived up to the anticipation? Being pricier than a used car didn’t help the original Segway’s chances, but at least now, electrical engineer Olaf Winkler has solved that problem with a ball-based self-balancing scooter that features a…
Welcome back to Toy Aisle, io9's round up of the best toys we’ve seen all week. This time we’ve got tons of new Lego minifigures, the most amazing Magneto cape, entirely unrelated magnetic building blocks, a spectacularly poseable Spider-Man: Homecoming figure, and yes, the best grin on a Han Solo action figure ever.
The United States can be a cruel place to live, as the rise of fascism in the country has caused a shocking increase in hate crimes. And after a terrorist shooting in Kansas, Americans have turned to what has now become a depressingly common ritual in the face of tragedy: Raising money for the survivors through…
Running around, bashing down doors with a giant sword in hand is generally frowned upon in modern society. So if you’re dealing with a secret He-Man fantasy you’re dying to live out, why not fill your pocket with a bunch of tiny swords that can open doors without destroying them?
Crowdfunding has become a staple of independent filmmaking, but the best you can usually expect from your investment is a cool prize. A new horror anthology is offering its contributors something more: a potential return on investment.
Until Apple stops chasing thinner iPhone designs at the cost of battery life, trying to find a way to keep your device charged will just be a way of life. But if you don’t mind adding a little bulk to your smartphone, a new iPhone case will ensure you can always be charging whenever an outlet is nearby.
There’s a reason nature uses eggs to protect offspring who develop outside their mothers. Domes are inherently strong and durable, so it also makes sense to build a drone with a similarly bulbous shape to help it survive crashes, collisions, and other accidents when an amateur pilot is at the controls.
We’ve all seen the classic NES controller thousands of times, but look closely at this one, notice something slightly different? On the Goofy Foot NES controller, the directional pad and the A+B buttons are reversed, so southpaw gamers can finally feel comfortable playing their favorite classic games.
Pebble, one of the best-known smartwatch brands, is dead. Rumors about the company’s demise have been swirling since The Information reported a potential Fitbit buyout last week. Today in a post on Kickstarter, Pebble confirmed that Fitbit was acquiring “key Pebble assets” and that Pebble would “no longer be operating…
Aside from the pointlessly short controller cables, the only other complaint we have with Nintendo’s NES Classic Edition is that it only comes with 30 classic games. There are so many classic consoles and retro titles to choose from, which is why the RetroEngine Sigma might be a better alternative since it promises to…
Way back in 2014, Rachel Ciavarella created an unusual plush toy called Morris that could be turned inside out, revealing the fish’s inner biology. The stuffed animal was actually just an experiment in textures and materials, but so many people reached out wanting to buy one that Rachel is finally making the toy…
It’s certainly not the worst thing that could go wrong at a dinner party, but having a ladle sink to the bottom of a punch bowl or pot is no longer a potential embarrassment thanks to a clever swan-shaped alternative that’s engineered to float so that it’s always within easy reach.
